| 单词 | alight |
| 释义 | alight (once / 493 pages) 1v 2adj The word alight has two distinct meanings: it can mean coming down or settling in a delicate manner, such as a bird perching, or it can be a rather poetic way to describe something that’s on fire (or “afire”). Just as the word alight has two distinct grammatical forms and meanings, it has two distinct beginnings in the Old English. That period’s word ālīhtan had an original meaning of dismounting, or lightening the load on the horse, and so is the ancestor of the verb we use today that means "to settle or perch." Meanwhile, the word onlīhtan (see the different spelling?) of that same time meant to be on fire, which became our adjectival use of the word. WORD FAMILYalight: alighted, alighting, alights USAGE EXAMPLESScottish Fire and Rescue Service said the building was "well alight" and about 55 firefighters were using nine fire engines to fight the blaze. BBC(Jan 01, 2017) Firefighters found the Worthing bungalow fully alight after receiving an emergency call on Christmas Day. BBC(Dec 26, 2016) They alighted at the edge of the New York Military Academy where a young cadet was being hazed and crying. Washington Post(Dec 23, 2016) 1 1v to come to rest, settle Syn|Hyper light, perch land, set down reach or come to rest 2v come down 2the birds alighted Syn|Hyper climb down come down, descend, fall, go down move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way adj lighted up by or as by fire or flame candles alight on the tables Syn ablaze, afire, aflame, aflare, on fire lighted, lit set afire or burning |
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